Zeuxine elatior Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 79
Type: Schlechter 19931 (holo B, lost)
Terrestrial, erect, tall, c. 45 cm high. Rhizome decumbent, stem-like; roots elongated, flexuose, puberulous. Stem terete, glabrous, c. 5-leaved. Leaves erect-patent, petiolate, closely spaced; blade obliquely ovate-elliptic, acuminate, rounded at the base, glabrous on both sides, 6.5-10 by 3.2-4.5 cm, petiole dilated at the base, sheathing, 3-4 cm long. Peduncle with a few small distant, bract-like scales, glandulose-puberulous; rachis rather densely many-flowered, c. 12 cm long. Floral bracts lanceolate, acuminate, shorter than the ovary, glandulose-puberulous. Flowers erect-patent. Sepals outside glandulose-puberulous. Median sepal at the base ovate, narrowed above, subobtuse, 0.7 cm long. Lateral sepals obliquely oblong, obtuse, 0.6 cm long. Petals at the base oblique, oblong-ovate, dilated along the front margin, conspicuously narrowed towards the apex, subobtuse, glabrous, as long as the median sepal and adhering to it along their inner margins. Lip at the base subglobose-cucullate, inside with two falcate appendages, margins inflexed, towards the apex narrowed into a broadly ligulate claw, at the apex expanded into a transversely falcate-oblong lobe, apex of the lobe retuse with an apicule; whole lip glabrous, as long as the petals, claw 0.25 cm long, apical lobe 0.5 cm [‘1.5 cm’] long, 1.5 cm [‘0.5 cm’] wide. Column short, subglobose, in front with two lamellae, glabrous; rostellum triangular-bifid. Anther suborbicular-cucullate, cordate, in front rostrate; pollinia obliquely clavate; stipe obovate, triangular, large; viscidium very small, rounded. Ovary cylindrical, glandulose-puberulous, c. 1 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Sepals greenish, petals and lip white.
Habitat: Terrestrial in lowland forest; 300 m.
Flowering time in the wild: June.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 732-36M.JPG.
Cultivation: Warm growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.